Adityanath's Surya Namaskar jibe draws Twitter fire

He said people who do not do Surya Namaskar should drown in the ocean

BJP MP Yogi Adityanath plunged into another controversy of his own making.

This time it was his alleged comment “people who don’t do surya namaskar should drown in ocean” or leave India.
 

“My humble request to those who see communalism in even Sun God would be to drown themselves in the sea or live in a dark room for the rest of their lives,” the MP allegedly said, referring to the resistance of Indian Muslims about performing surya namaskar, The Hindu reported.

He was speaking about the importance and history of yoga at a temple in Varanasi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s constituency. Adityanath said more than 100 countries are celebrating World Yoga Day including 40 Muslim nations, on June 21. “When they have no problem with the day why are Indian Muslims opposing it,” he was quoted as saying by the Hindustan Times.

 

Meanwhile, yoga guru Baba Ramdev told NDTV that surya namaskar has nothing to do with religion, and the problem is with chanting mantras while doing the namaskar, which is not required. Ramdev said he was going to perform yoga with the PM on June 21, along with 5,000 of his followers, on Rajpath in New Delhi.

The alleged comments caused a furore on social media with “Surya Namaskar” trending on Twitter in India. A selection of some interesting tweets:

After ANOTHER sermon on religious harmony by PM Modi, Sakshi Maharaj and Yogi Adityanath unleashed to fortify Hindutva intentions. SOP!

— Sanjay Jha (@JhaSanjay) June 9, 2015

If anyone had any doubts as to the Hindutva color being given to the spiritual-health exercise of yoga, Yogi Adityanath dispels all notions.

— Sanjay Jha (@JhaSanjay) June 9, 2015

No egg. No beef. Strict vegetarian. And i do yoga w/ surya namaskar. Where do i reapply for my Indian citizenship under ths loony sarkar? ?

— Priyanka Chaturvedi (@priyankac19) June 9, 2015

The best way to get everyone to do Yoga might be to ban it. People of all religions will begin doing Surya Namaskar out of sheer outrage.

— What Ho! (@waatho) June 9, 2015

The new social contract of Indian citizenship: anything goes as long as you do surya namaskar pic.twitter.com/Kcesw03MHv

— RushdieExplainsIndia (@RushdieExplains) June 9, 2015

•Lazy mothers make Maggi •Despite being a woman •No Surya Namaskar, no right to live in India BJP leaders competing in race to the bottom?

— Atishi Marlena (@AtishiMarlena) June 9, 2015

Modi wants all foreigners to come to India. His MPs want all Indians to go to foreign. Full confusion.

— Ramesh Srivats (@rameshsrivats) June 9, 2015